SAP Data Archiving

By Gayatri Narendra Patil, Infosys

Introduction

Data Archiving, in general means deleting the huge volumes of the data that is no longer required in the
database to some file system or any third party storage system. It is also a service provided by SAP for
the consistent removal of data objects from database tables of the SAP database, where all table entries
that characterize a data object are written to an archive file outside the database.

Benefits of DATA Archiving

1. Reduces the costs of memory, disk and also administration costs.

2. Ensures cost efficient system upgrades and migration.

3. Improved system performance due to shorter response time.

4. Reduces the cost of maintenance and run of growing application infrastructure.

SAP Data Archiving Process Flow

SAP Data Archiving main involves three steps:

1. Creating the Archive files.

2. Run the delete programs.

3. Store the archive files.

Creating the archive file and running the delete programs are the mandatory steps to follow for data
archiving whereas storing the archive files is optional.

1. Creating the Archive files

In this step, a new archive file is been created and data to be archived is sequentially written in it.

2. Run the delete programs

In this step, the delete programs are executed which deletes the data from the SAP R/3 database, once
the archived data is read successfully from the archive files.

The delete programs can be triggered manually or automatically.

3. Store the Archive files

Here, the archive file with the archived data is moved to the third party storage system or copied to disk,
etc. This can also be triggered manually or automatically.
Dynamic Menu (tCode SDMO)

A list of transaction codes along-with the short description required for SAP Archiving can be found in the
dynamic menu. Go to transaction SDMO and enter search for the text as Archive.

Click on execute button. The screen will be displayed as below.

What is Archiving Object?

Archiving Object is the central component of Sap Data Archiving. Archiving Object specifies which data is
to be archived and how. Archiving Objects directs the SAP Archiving system to get the correct tables
associate with the specific Business Object. The archiving object name can be ten characters long in
length.

Archiving objects are defined by the transaction AOBJ.

Fig.1. Archiving Object Details (AOBJ).

Identifying the Archive Objects

Transaction DB02 is used to identify tables with high growth in data volumes and to compare the table
size after archiving and thus to monitor growth of the database tables.

Transaction TAANA which is used to identify the appropriate archiving object when a table has more
than one archiving object
Transaction DB15 is used to identify the Archive Objects, if you know the Database tables or if you know
the Archiving Object it displays the list of associated database tables for that particular Archiving Object
as Shown in Fig.a.

Fig.a. Transaction DB15

Configuration of Archive Objects

1. Structure Definition.
As shown in the Fig.2. , the Structure definition contains the list of the database tables from which the
data will be archived. This is pre-configured for the Standard SAP Archive Objects.
 Fig.2. Structure Definition.

2. Tables from which you only Delete Entries.

As shown in Fig.3. , this contains the list of Database tables from which the data will be only deleted
and not archived. This is pre-configured for the Standard SAP Archive Objects.
 Fig.3. Tables from which You Only Delete Entries.

3. Maintain Network Graphic

This contains the list of pre-requisite Archived Objects that needs to be archived before the actually
archive objects. This is pre-configured for the Standard SAP Archive Objects.
 Fig.4.Maintain Network Graphic.

4. Customizing Settings.
This should be configured as per the business requirements. As shown in the Fig.5. , this contains
details about Archive File Size, Setting for Delete programs like Test Mode Variants and Live Mode
Variant(i.e. Production Mode variant), content Repositories and the sequence of deletion. If the radio
button Start Automatically for Delete Jobs is selected, automatically the delete program is executed
after the write program. If not selected, execute the delete program manually for the particular
archiving object.
 Fig.5. Customizing Settings.

5. Archiving Classes Used.

As shown in the Fig.6., this contains the details about the archiving classes used by the particular
Archiving Object.
 Fig.6. Archiving Classes Used.

6. Read Programs.
This contains the details about the read programs which is used by both the archiving objects and
Archiving Class to read the data from the Archive files.
 Fig.7. Read Programs.

7. Customizing Transactions.
This contains the transaction code for the application-specific customizing for the relevant archiving
object. Once this code is entered, you can go directly from transaction SARA to the application-
specific Customizing transaction, which is often used for entering residence times for an archiving
object.
 Fig.8. Customizing transactions.

8. Info Tables for Archive Files.

This contains the list of database tables that will give the archive file name, the criteria for archiving
and other related information.
 Fig.9. Info Tables for Archive Files.

9. Exit Routine Assignment Generation.

This contains details about the customizing code (user exits/ Business add in) in the archive and
delete programs.
 Fig.10. Exit Routine Assignment Generation.

Archive Programs

The below mentioned Program in the SAP System should be assigned to the Archiving Objects.

1. Preprocessing (Optional)

This program prepares the data for archiving marking the data by setting the deletion indicator to X,
but it does not delete any data from the database. Preprocessing Programs operates on the database
and no Archive files are required. Preprocessing Programs are scheduled manually and run in
Archive Administration (tCode: SARA).

2. Write
This program creates a new archive file and writes the data in them. At this point, No data is been
deleted from the database. The Write programs can be executed in two processing modes.
a. Test Mode.
b. Production Mode.
In the Test Mode, No archive files will be created whereas in Production Mode, Archive
files will be created.
3. Delete
 This program reads the data from the archived files and deletes the data from the database. The
delete programs can be executed in two processing modes.
a. Test Mode.
b. Production Mode.

In the Test Mode, the log after the execution shows the entries of the data going to be deleted from the
database whereas in the production Mode it shows the statistics of the deleted data from the database.

4. Postprocessing(Optional)
This program also operates on the Database and does not require any Archive files. This is final
program and can be executed asynchronously with the delete program.
If the data from the database id not deleted by the delete programs, it can be deleted by the Post
processing Programs. It is also used for different functions like updating the statistical data, deleting
the log data log that is no longer required, etc.
5. Reload Programs(Optional)
This program is used to reload the archived data from the external storage system back into
respective SAP Database tables. It is not available for all the archiving objects.
6. Index Programs(Optional)

This program builds or deletes an index that allows individual access.

Check Archivability

Checking the Archivabilty of the business objects precedes the actual archiving process. This should
ensure that the data is not archived, if some other application still needs it. The business objects are
considered to be archivable if it:

1. Is Completed.

2. Has reached the desired residence time.

3. Does not serve as basis for other Business Objects.

It is also recommend not be archive Master Data but the Transaction Data.

Residence Time: is the minimum length of time that data must spend in the database before it meets the
archivability criteria.

Retention Time: is the entire time that data spends in the database before it is archived.

Setting up the connection between the SAP R/3 database and the External Storage system

Maintain the Content Repository(tCode OAC0)

The content repository is maintained for every archiving object. Below is the content Repository
Maintained for MM_EKKO.
To retrieve the content repository details, double click on content repository. Details are as below.

Maintain the Document Type (TCode OAC2)

The document type is maintained by transaction OAC2. Every Archiving object is associated with the
document type which is in turn linked to document class. The document class identifies archive format for
document in Content server.
 Linking the content repository to Document type (tCode OAC3)

In transaction OAC3, the content Repository will be linked to Document Type.

Maintain the Logical Filename(tCode FILE)

Logical filename should be assigned to every Archiving object. Archive files are stored in the file system
under a physical path and file name that is derived from a user-definable logical path or file name. Steps
to Configure the Logical Filename is as below.

1. Choose ARCHIVE_GLOBAL_PATH and double click on sub-folder Assignment of Physical path to

Logical Path on the Left Side.
2. Double click on Windows NT.

3. Double click on Definition of Variables on Left Side.

4. In the definition of variables, you can see the value FILENAME in the physical file path represents
filename

5. Double Click on Logical File Name Definition, Cross Client. Logical Filename should be maintained here.
The format of the physical file is

<PARAM_1><DATE><TIME><PARAM_2><PARAM_3>.ARV

PARAM_1: Two-character application abbreviation (for example, HR, CO, MM) for the classification of
the archive files in the system. The value of the definition is determined from the relevant archiving object
at runtime.

PARAM_2: Single-character alphanumerical code (0-9, A-Z). If, when creating a new archive file, an
existing file with an identical physical name would result in a conflict, the ADK increases this value by 1.
This value must, therefore, always be a part of the physical name.

PARAM_3: This parameter is filled at runtime with the name of the archiving object. In archive
management, this enables you to check the file contents or to store the archive files by archiving objects.

Step By Step Archiving Procedure

1. Call Transaction SARA and enter the Archive Object Name. Example: MM_EKKO.

Click on Preproc button. This step is Optional.

2. Give the variant and click on maintain button. Next Screen is displayed.

3. Select the parameters as shown below and click on continue.

4. This is the selection screen for Preprocessing. Provide the selection criteria as per the requirements
and click on Attributes.

5. Give the meaning for the variant here and click on save.
6. Go back to initial screen. Click on Start Date Button.

7. Click on Immediate button to schedule the background job and save.

8. Now click on Spool Params and set the printer here.

9. The initial screen is now displayed as below.

10. Click on Execute.

11. Repeat the same procedure from 2 to 10 for write program by maintaining the variant as
TEST_WRITE along-with same selection criteria as given for preprocessing program and click on
Execute button.

12. Click on the Job Overview button to see the archived session.

13. Select the Job and Click on the Spool to view the output.
Accessing the Archived Data

User can access the archived data by the Archive Information System. User can check the Archive
Information System by clicking on the Information System button in the Archive Administration i.e.
tCode SARA.

The screen will be displayed as below.

Creating an Infostructure

Every Archive file accessed using Archive Information System is through infostructure. Every infostructure
belongs to a unique Archiving objects and also refers to the Field Catalog. A Field Catalog is the collection
of fields suitable for indexing the archive files of Archiving object concerned. All the data related to
infostructure is maintained in database tables.
For creating an infostructure call transaction SARJ or Click on the Customizing button in the Archive
Information System: Central Management as shown below.

It will open an Archive Retrieval Configurator which is used to create an infostructure. User can
create own infostructure or use the available standard infostructure. Before creating the own infostructure,
one should check if there is any standard infostructure available. User can copy this infostructure and
modify it according to the requirements.

Note: The standard infostructure SAP_DRB_MM_EKKO is used here.

While creating an Infostructure one can determine the fields from the field catalogue and transfer them
to the Infostructure.
Some fields are already transferred to the infostructure. This cannot be removed as they are key fields.
Activating an Infostructure

To use an infostructure, user must activate the infostructure. All the standard infostructures will be already
activated. Only after activating the infostructure it can be filled with data from archive file and evaluated.
Once the infostructure is activated, it cannot be modified.

Evaluating an Infostructure

The data from the archive files can be retrieved using Archive Explorer by calling transaction SARE or
by clicking on Archive Explorer button in the Archive Information System: Central Management as shown
below.
 Archive Explorer screen is displayed as below. Enter the archiving Object name and Archive Infostructure
name as given below and click on Execute button.

The Archived data is displayed as below.

References

Archiving Your Sap Data reference book by SAP Press.

SAP Library Introduction to Data archiving

http://help.sap.com/erp2005_ehp_03/helpdata/EN/bd/6b9b3c874da309e10000000a
114027/frameset.htm